07/27/2007

July 24, 2007 -- Playing soccer, where the ball is often hit with
the head, may be linked to long-term brain injury and memory problems
later in life, says a new study.

Researchers found evidence of reduced gray matter in the brains of 10
male college soccer players, compared with 10 young men who had never
played.

Among players in the study, reduced gray matter was seen in the
anterior temporal cortex - which is consistent with effects from
repeated knocks to the front of the head, John Adams and colleagues at
the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio report in the
Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.